Travel News Weekly Roundup: Week Ending August 24, 2012

In case you missed it, here’s a quick roundup of what happened this week in the travel world.

What’s new at tripcentral.ca?

tripcentral.ca has a new look! You’ll still find easy access to all your favourite tools, like the vacation package finder, cruise finder and cheap flights, but the new layout also gives you instant access to our regularly updated promotions and blog archives. Check it out here.

Time is running out to take advantage of Early Booking Bonuses! When you book your winter vacation before August 31st, you can put down just $50 deposit, get free upgrades and lock in your price. Read more here.

Deal of the Week!

Book before midnight tonight & pay half price from Toronto to Jamaica – ONLY $729! SAVE $300 on kids fare, now ONLY $479! Enjoy 7 all-inclusive nights at the 4* Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. September departures. Call NOW to book before midnight: 1-800-665-4981 and ask about October departure deals, too!

Who, What, Where?

We have been advised by our operations team that Beaches Ocho Rios, Jamaica, will undergo a $30-million renovation that will unveil a brand new look when it reopens on October 1st.

Tropical storm Isaac is sweeping Haiti and the Dominican Republic before it strengthens to hurricane status as it hits Florida this weekend. Here are some of the cruise itinerary changes we know about so far:

Allure of the Seas, which departed from Port Everglades on Sunday, is sailing a Western Caribbean itinerary(Falmouth, Jamaica; and Cozumel) instead of an Eastern Caribbean itinerary (Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten).

Carnival Valor has announced that it will replace its call in Curaçao today and instead stay at sea. The cruise ship is headed for the Bahamas and will call in at Nassau on Saturday.

Carnival Liberty will remain at sea today instead of its scheduled call in Grand Turk. The ship is headed for the Bahamas and will call in at Nassau today.

Tour Operator News

Transat announced that it will begin offering travellers compensation on advanced flight schedule changes within 45 days of departure – starting November 1st.

Air Transat also announced its new partnership with CarTrawler, an international car-rental company. This agreement gives Canadian travellers access to a wider range of rental cars in all destinations served by the company, and rentals can be booked online at airtransat.ca.

Enter to Win!

tripcentral.ca proudly sponsors this week’s destination for the 98.1 CHFI World Tour takes you to Honolulu where you and a guest can see Lady Antebellum LIVE all the way in Hawaii! Contest ends Sunday, so you’d better hurry to the CHFI website!

When you hear two Springsteen songs back to back on boom, be the 20th caller to instantly win a trip for two to see Bruce Springsteen live in New Jersey with tripcentral.ca and boom 97.3! Contest ends August 27th.

Jay Z and some friends are throwing a Labour Day block party in Philadelphia, and KiSS 92.5 and tripcentral.ca have your tickets! But only until August 27th!

Do you have news you want to share with us? Leave us a comment below or send your news bites to aimeebeck@tripcentral.ca for inclusion in upcoming travel news roundups.

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Following up to our earlier post about cruise ship schedule changes due to hurricane Isaac, here are three more ships that have announced detours:

Royal Caribbean says the Majesty of the Seas and Monarch of the Seas will not call this weekend at CocoCay, the line’s private island in the Bahamas. The ships are sailing today from Florida’s Port Canaveral and Port of Miami, respectively. Also skipping it’s weekend call at Bahamas private island of Half Moon Cay is the Carnival Ecstasy, which will instead head to Freeport on Saturday.